Debt is one of those afflictions that creep up on people. It's slowly mounting and presents itself in worsening degrees, so it rarely happens with a single purchase. It's sometimes compared to weight gain: You start off at a healthy weight, and then a long series of poor decisions slowly adds weight an ounce at a time.

The (relatively) good news is that no sinks into deep debt without warning. Recognizing the bad financial patterns early is one of the keys to dealing with debt properly. Here are some warning signs you should keep an eye out for.

Debt Warning Signs

When people don't pay attention to what's happening to their finances until it's too late, they often find themselves in debt trouble. By then, it would be much more difficult to get out of that situation. If that person only saw what happening early on, things could have been turned around by taking simple steps to improve their finances. This is common to every debt story, that's why reading and interpreting these signs correctly are important skills that everyone must have.

1. Credit Cards

Commonly compared to a canary in a coal mine of debt, credit cards give off warning signs that may indicate that you are heading towards a slippery slope. Here are a few of them:

• If you're using your credit cards for everyday necessities like groceries because you don't have cash.
• If you have multiple credit cards and they're all at or above their limit.
• If you're using credit cards to pay off other credit cards, and signing up for every new card offer that comes your way.
• If you're buying more on your credit cards than you're paying towards your debt.

2. Income

Income is the other side of debt. When you read these signs, you should interpret them as a (mild) cry for help and do something before things get worse.

• If you're using your credit cards for everyday necessities like groceries because you don't have cash.
• If you have multiple credit cards and they're all at or above their limit.
• If you're using credit cards to pay off other credit cards, and signing up for every new card offer that comes your way.
• If you're buying more on your credit cards than you're paying towards your debt.

3. Behaviors and Patterns

Some patterns and behaviors are intangible. However, that doesn't mean that you should do nothing about them. These include:

• Hiding purchases from a spouse or family member
• You're uncertain of how much you actually owe
• You're getting calls from collection agencies and the like

Looking for bad patterns and performing financially sound interventions is the key to minimizing the impact of debt. If you are forced to make minimum payments on credit cards for a month may simply mean you are having a bad one. However, if it happens for six consecutive months, this may indicate that you are heading towards a debt spiral. Any problem requires enough breathing room to rectify the situation. Early detection may serve as yours in solving future potential debt problems.

New You Credit Repair offers a variety of uniquely effective solutions to common financial problems. Once we review your financial situation, issues and goals, we will tell you which services we recommend for your specific situation, and where you should start. Call 866-403-0248 or go to http://www.newyoucreditrepair.com for more information.